Whether you’re watching the animated Whoville or the Seussical movie, it’s important to remember who’s who. It’s a fun and enlightening experience for kids to learn about the different characters in each movie.
Horton Hears a Who
Using the ol’ “Horton” as a central character, the animated movie Horton Hears a Who has all the trappings of a classic. It’s the kind of animated movie that can’t be rushed, yet still stands out from the crowd.
The movie, based on the book, is directed by Chuck Jones, the man who did the great Grinch TV special four years earlier. It also stars JoJo, who is the oldest child, and Mayor Ned McDodd, a self-proclaimed Mayor of Whoville.
Horton hears a loud shout from a speck of dust floating in the air. He tries to figure out where it came from. He realizes that a whole community of Whos lives on the speck. Then he decides that he has to find a way to get the speck to a secure resting place.
He calls upon the help of a local control freak, a grumpy kangaroo. The kangaroo has an aversion to Horton’s wacky imagination. So he tries to rid the speck of its inhabitants, especially the Whos.
The book, the movie and the song are all good, but the movie does the Horton Hears a Who a better job. The movie is a bit over-the-top, but it is a lot better than the overly-simplistic sequel, How the Grinch Stole Christmas.
While the film’s special effects and the animation are great, the movie isn’t as dazzling as the book. The movie also doesn’t have as many songs.
How the Grinch Stole Christmas
Originally a 1966 animated television show, How the Grinch Stole Christmas has been remade numerous times. It has been adapted as a live action film starring Jim Carrey in 2000, a musical in 2007, starring Benedict Cumberbatch, a slasher movie in 2022, and a live television adaptation in 2020.
The Grinch has a big heart. He has been an irritant to Whoville’s Christmas celebrations for 53 years. He has even tried to cut his face at eight years old. But when a two-year-old girl named Cindy Lou Who sees him in her window, he is forced to make amends.
This Grinch-centric movie has a lot of Ron Howard’s usual witticisms. But it is the inversion of the old adage “Save Christmas” that makes the Grinch movie a worthy successor to the book.
A witty script, coupled with some of the best acting performances in recent memory, make this movie a family favorite. The movie is an imaginative and funny take on a classic Seuss tale. The characters are so well developed that you feel like you know them.
There is plenty to talk about with your kids, including simple pleasures of winter holidays, the damage tease can do to young minds, and how to make tease-free environments more fun.
But there’s no escaping the fact that How the Grinch Stole Christmas may not be the movie for everyone. It isn’t the easiest film to watch, particularly if your kids haven’t seen the animated version.
Seussical
Whether you’re a fan of Seussical or not, there are plenty of fun characters to get to know. Aside from Horton the Elephant and The Cat in the Hat, there are also The Mayor and Mrs. Mayor, who are the parents of a troubled child, and a Sour Kangaroo. These characters play the roles of friends who are more like kids playing pranks on each other than being bad guys.
In this musical, the Wickersham Brothers are fun, and they like to play with each other. They also like to make music together, but they don’t seem to be bad guys. They just like to play off one another.
Horton the Elephant is introduced in the opening number. Horton finds Whos living on a speck of dust in the jungle. He also hears a voice on the speck. When he discovers that the Whos are in danger, he sets off to save Whoville.
The show also features the characters Gertrude McFuzz and Sour Kangaroo. Gertrude McFuzz is a bird with one feather tail. She marvels at Horton’s uniqueness. She assures Horton that they can raise together and protect the Whos. She never loses her faith in him.
The Wickersham Brothers are more like kids playing pranks. They like to hang out and make music together.